Lighthouse Guild Adds Key Hires to Management Team
By CommPRO Editorial StaffLighthouse Guild International (LGI) is a not-for-profit vision + healthcare organization with a long history of addressing the needs of people who are blind or visually impaired, including those with multiple disabilities or chronic medical conditions. By integrating vision + healthcare services and expanding access through education and awareness, LGI helps people lead productive, dignified and fulfilling lives. As a result of its growth and in preparation for further expansion, LGI is expanding its management structure with the addition of two new key executives.Christina Wong Named Chief Financial Officer Christina Wong has been named the Chief Financial Officer of Lighthouse Guild. After accepting the position of CFO at LGI, Christina resigned from her role as the CFO of Aetna Better Health of New York. Earlier in her career, she spent several years with Morgan Stanley and then joined Merrill Lynch as an Associate in Mergers and Acquisitions.For the past six years she has held a number of positions at Aetna, starting as a senior associate in corporate development. In 2012, Christina was asked to join a small, elite group of executives in The Office of the Chairman as Deputy Chief of Staff to the Chairman, CEO and President. Christina worked in conjunction with this group to form the Vision 2020 strategy for Aetna. Part of the strategy that was developed was for Aetna to launch into the consumer business, which they did in September 2013. Christina was deeply involved in the development of the private exchange strategy and was asked to join the team that completed the acquisition of bSwift. In 2014 she took on the role of CFO of Aetna Better Health of New York, where she has served for the past several years.Karen A. Wish Named Chief Marketing OfficerKaren A. Wish has been named the Chief Marketing Officer for Lighthouse Guild. Karen has more than 25 years of corporate and not-for-profit senior marketing experience. She is a dynamic and energetic leader who has a wealth of experience in brand development, public relations, media interaction, marketing plan development and implementation as well as the development of iconic branding strategies and television and radio advertising. Karen started her career as an account manager for the NCR Corporation and then served as a Marketing Product Manager for six years with Schering Plough Healthcare Products.For the past fifteen years, Karen served in a series of advancing roles at New York Presbyterian Hospital System. As New York-Presbyterian grew to its current $8B in revenues, Karen’s responsibilities expanded. As one of four Directors reporting to the Chief Marketing Officer, she led the marketing for the two Children’s Hospitals, for several service lines including the new Spine Hospital, and enterprise-wide market research, digital and CRM. Karen also developed significant partnerships to support brand awareness objectives with organizations such as WCBS, the Wildlife Conservation Society, and the Radio City, Madison Square Garden Christmas Spectacular, a partnership involving close collaboration and integration of all communications teams (internal, marketing, PR and social media). Karen will grow the marketing and communications functions of LGI to strengthen its branding, marketing, public relations, communications, and social media functions.About GuildNetGuildNet was established in 1997, becoming one of the first Managed Long Term Care (MLTC) plans in New York State. GuildNet is a leading healthcare provider committed to improving the quality of health care available for frail and chronically ill New Yorkers. With offices in New York City, Brooklyn, Melville, and White Plains, New York, GuildNet currently serves more than 18,000 Members. GuildNet is a program of Lighthouse Guild, which has been providing quality services for thousands of men, women and children since 1905. For more information, visit www.guildnetny.org.About Lighthouse GuildLighthouse Guild is the leading not-for-profit vision + healthcare organization with a long history of addressing the needs of people who are blind or visually impaired, including those with multiple disabilities or chronic medical conditions. Lighthouse Guild was created upon the successful merger of Jewish Guild Healthcare and Lighthouse International, which was completed in 2013. With more than 200 years of combined experience and service, Lighthouse Guild brings a level of understanding to vision care that is unmatched. By integrating vision + healthcare services and expanding access through education and awareness, we help people lead productive, dignified and fulfilling lives. For more information, visit www.lighthouseguild.org or find us on Facebook.